PDFE #10

In varied practice, the learner practices more than one variation of a task so that he or she can learn the relationship between parameter settings and the resulting environmental outcomes. Factors like distance, speed, angle, etc. can all be changed from trial to trial to relate the parameter settings to the outcomes of movement. It is thought to enhance schema, the rule relating the parameter settings to the outcomes of a movement. Varied practice should help a learner to generalize learning experiences to novel demands within the same class of movements.

Constant practice, however, only uses a specific pairing between the parameter value for that one target and the resulting outcome. For example, just throwing the ball from one place over and over. It develops a skill for that one distance, but there is no experience when the parameters change. Constant practice does not help the learner to generalize learning experiences to novel demands within the same class of movements - the learner is not familiar with any variation in demand.

Condition 1 - Constant Practice -

Participant: Marley Simonis

Experimenter: Kara Hardy

5-10 seconds between trials:

5 out of 15 were within the hoop

(1-minute break)

6 out of 15 were within the hoop

(1-minute break)

7 out of 15 were within the hoop

1 out of 15 was on the dot

(5-minute break)

RETENTION TEST:

Zero of the 5 were made within the hoop

Sum: 20

Condition 2 - Varied Practice -

Participant: Kara Hardy

Experimenter: Marley Simonis

5-10 seconds between trials:

5 out of 15 were made within hoop (1 pt each)

3 out of 15 were made on the dot (2 pt each)

The 1 point shots were varied on distance. Some were made from 4m, 5m, and 6m.

2 of the dot shots were made from 4m. One of the dot shots was made from 6m.

(1-minute break)

Zero of 15 shots were 1pt

2 of 15 shots were made on the dot. One from 6m, the other from 5m.

(1-minute break)

4 out of 15 shots were made in the hoop (1 pt each) 2 from 5m, 2 from 6m.

2 out of 15 shots were on the dot (2 pt each) both from the 4m distance.

(5-minute break)

RETENTION TEST:

One shot out of 5 was made inside the hoop, not on the dot, at the 5m distance.

It seemed that the variety test worked better in the experiment (It could just be that Kara is a better thrower than I am).

My constant practice wasn't very good. At some points there was a series of improvement as I learned how to NOT throw the bean bag. But then as I kept going my performance decreased significantly. After the 5 minute break I tested the retention and my retention was zero. In our experiment of this trial the constant practice was not beneficial to improving this skill.